Ayurveda FAQ's
1. What is Ayurveda?
In Sanskrit, the word ayurveda consists of the words ayus, meaning "longevity", and veda, meaning "related to knowledge" or "science". Ayurved, originated in India, is an ancient healing system. Ayurved originated as part of "Vedic Science" The fundamentals of Ayurved can be found in all the Vedic scriptures viz. Rugveda, Atharvaveda, Yajurved and Samaved. This is an integral spiritual science devised to give a comprehensive understanding of the entire universe and universal laws. Ayurveda can be defined as a system, which uses the inherent principles of nature, to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature.
2. What are the Basic Principles of Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is based on the premise that the universe is made up of five elements: air, fire, water, earth and ether. These elements are represented in humans by three "doshas", or energies: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. When any of the doshas accumulate in the body beyond the desirable limit, the body loses its balance. Every individual has a distinct balance, and our health and well-being depend on getting a right balance of the three doshas("tridoshas"). Ayurveda suggests specific lifestyle and nutritional guidelines to help individuals reduce the excess dosha.A healthy person, as defined in Sushrut Samhita, one of the primary works on Ayurveda, is "he whose doshas are in balance, appetite is good, all tissues of the body and all natural urges are functioning properly, and whose mind, body and spirit are cheerful..."
3. How is Ayurvedic medicine different from Allopathic medicine?
Ayurvedic medicine is based on the Pancha Bhutha principle. Treatment is done to eliminate the root cause and not for the symptoms alone, which are targeted by the allopathic medicine. Ayurvedic medicine is complete it is not a fractional cure. In case of the allopathic treatment it is fractional it is only targeted to the symptoms for this reason we encounter many side effects in the course of allopathic treatment.
4. Can Ayurveda treat chronic diseases like diabetes, asthma, arthritis, skin diseases etc?
Ayurveda can provide better solution for chronic diseases like asthma, arthritis, skin diseases than many current allopathic treatments available today.. Correct use of ayurvedic medicine can provide symptomatic as well as long-term benefits in such diseases. If used judiciously, ayurvedic medicine does not produce any side effect and are very safe for long-term use. In fact in such cases allopathic medicines have to be used in increasing dosage and may have undesirable side effects.
5. Do I have to continue ayurvedic treatment for a very long time?
Not necessarily. The duration of treatment, like modern medicine, depends on various factors like type of disease, duration of disease, age of the patient, type of medicines used, nutritional status of patient etc.
6. Generally it is said that herbal medicines take a long time to take effect in the body. Is this true?
Can I take herbal medicines for acute conditions?
It is a just a myth that herbal medicines take a long time to take effect. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the condition, herbal medicines provide effective, progressive relief. Herbal medicines can be taken for any type of acute condition, including infections, inflammations, bleeding, injuries, or temporary stresses.
